Overnight Sleep Study for Children

Your child’s doctor has recommended that your child have a sleep study done at National Jewish Health Sleep Center.

Appointment preparation:

If your child takes daily medications, please bring them. Only the parent can administer them.
Bring your child’s health insurance card(s), and your driver’s license or government-issued ID to the appointment.

On the day of your appointment:

Please arrive by 6:45 PM
Check in is at the Immediate Care Clinic entrance with Security.
Your sleep technologist will greet you in the waiting area and will escort you to your private room. The room has separate beds for you and your child
One parent/guardian is expected to stay the night with the child. The technologist team will need a parent/guardian to provide assistance if needed, both when setting the child up for the study and during the night. Please make accommodations for any other family members to stay at home.
Your child should wear comfortable pajamas or a comfortable tee shirt and shorts to sleep in. Please no “onesies” as this prevents us from properly placing sensors.
To help your child feel comfortable, you may bring a favorite pillow, blanket, or stuffed toy.
Please eat dinner before you arrive at 6:45 PM and please avoid caffeine.
Please bring snacks and drinks if desired or any special food needed.

What to expect during your child’s sleep:

You and your child will have privacy as you change into your night clothes.
Your sleep technologist will apply sensors to the skin on your child’s head, chin, chest, and legs using tape and paste.
A mild cleanser is used to clean the skin before sensor application: this is a painless process.
During this preparation process your child will be sitting up in a chair. This process is expected to take anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour.
Your technologist will provide an overview on what to expect during your child’s sleep study.
At any point during the preparation process, you will be able to ask questions and receive clarification.
Each room has a video camera and a speaker which allows your technologist to monitor your child’s sleep behaviors and maintain audio contact from the monitoring area throughout the night.
The parent/guardian must stay in the room all night with the child and will not be allowed to sit in the monitoring room with the technologist during the testing, as we need to protect other patient’s confidentiality.
Your child’s study will end at about 6:00 AM; removing the sensors may take about 15 minutes.
You and your child will have time to get ready in the morning but please be prepared to leave the sleep lab by 7:00 AM.
If you are having someone pick you both up, please plan to wait in the Skybridge/Afterhours lobby until your ride arrives.
The sleep technologist will be available for questions but cannot discuss and/or provide copies of the data collected. This data must first be analyzed and then reviewed by a sleep physician.

Your child’s sleep study preparation checklist:

(Use this as your checklist before arriving for your child’s sleep study)

Your child should avoid:

Napping during the day before testing
Food or drinks with caffeine after 12p.m. (noon). This includes chocolate and cola.

Have your child:

Bathe/shower and wash hair with shampoo only. Avoid using hair sprays, oils, gels or lotions. Hair needs to be clean and dry upon arrival.
Eat a light, early dinner before arriving at your scheduled location.
Arrive on time at 7:00pm.

Both of you may want to bring:

A bedtime book or magazine to read while waiting for your technologist.
A favorite pillow, blanket, or stuffed toy.
A light snack before bedtime, if needed.
Any medications that may be needed during the night.
Pajamas to sleep in (PLEASE NO SILK PJs)
Toiletries for bedtime and in the morning (toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap)
If you child uses CPAP, bring the CPAP mask.
IF your child is on 24/7 oxygen: bring a portable oxygen tank (i.e. E cylinder or liquid.) Please have an extra tank with you so you will have an adequate oxygen to get home after your child’s study.

AFTER your child’s sleep study:

Schedule a follow up appointment with your child’s referring physician.
A detailed report will be sent to the referring physician as soon as possible after your child’s study; please allow 14 business days.
The referring physician will discuss the results and any recommendations for treatment that may be indicated.

Important Resources:

Questions, rescheduling and cancellations: Phone (303)270-2708, option 1
Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm
Please provide 24-hour notice for cancelling or rescheduling to avoid $175 cancellation fee

Please call to reschedule if you develop any symptoms of a respiratory infection such as fever, new or worsening cough, or difficulty breathing.

Appointment Location:

National Jewish Health
Main Campus
1400 Jackson St
Denver, CO 80206

Patient parking is off of Colfax Ave, one block west of Colorado Blvd. We have free surface parking and a patient parking garage. The entrance for the Sleep Lab is the same as the Immediate Care Clinic entrance. There is no valet after 5pm.

Maps and directions available on our website:
https://www.nationaljewish.org/patients-visitors/visiting-us/campusbuilding-maps

Online resources: www.njhealth.org/sleep-ed

Financial information and other items of importance:

$175 cancellation fee will be assessed to you directly if you cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice or if you “no show” for your scheduled appointment. Your insurance will not be billed for this fee.

It is your responsibility to understand and know the coverage criteria for your insurance.

Know your deductible and co-pay amounts. The Sleep Center will make every effort to verify your insurance coverage and obtain any needed referrals and/or authorizations for services to be provided by the Sleep Center. However, it is still ultimately your responsibility to understand and know the coverage criteria for your insurance. Prior to receiving any health service, please verify with your insurance that all needed referrals, authorizations and other information has been obtained.

You will be asked to sign the National Jewish Health Consent to Treatment form before your appointment unless you have completed one in the last 12 months. This form does include financial expectations set by National Jewish Health and cannot be altered.

Our sleep technologists will not be able to answer questions regarding your insurance plan or coverage. Please contact your insurance company directly for plan or coverage questions.

National Jewish Health is a fragrance-free, non-smoking facility. Please do not wear perfumes, colognes, aftershave, scented lotions, or scented hairspray as these can irritate and increase respiratory symptoms in our patients and care team.